Good News: Watertown Fire Rescue Conducts Tornado Drill at Edgewood Senior Living Community (2025)

{KXLG – Watertown, SD} On Wednesday morning, Edgewood Senior Living Community residents participated in a tornado drill across all three facilities in Watertown.

The drill, in collaboration with Watertown Fire Rescue and Codington County Emergency Management, aimed to test the staff's ability to safely and efficiently move residents to designated shelter areas within the buildings.

KXLG News interview Edgewood Executive Director Jackie Clark, Assistant Executive Director Tracy St Sauver, and Executive Director of the two Memory Care units Amanda Prokop to learn more about the day.

Jackie shares about getting started…

Jackie talked about the importance of communication…

Drills are necessary, but you can always add some fun….

Watertown Fire Rescue showed up in full force to collaborate on the tornado drill, including EMS Chief Gary Langerock, Fire Marshal Adam Bloom, Lt. Chris Noeldner, FF Andrew Sebek, FF Carli Ordal, and FF Derek Axelson. The staff were evaluated on their accountability systems to ensure no one was left behind, and a post-evaluation meeting was set for Monday.

Amanda Prokop shared about the experience and the importance of the drills…

Edgewood has performed other drills and, as a company, commits to annual testing…

After a successful drill, Watertown Fire Rescue stuck around for a while…

Watertown Fire Rescue makes it a focus to have consistent community engagement…

Codington County first responders work with the school district, several businesses, and organizations to ensure the community is safe and prepared…

Today's "Good News" story is a reminder that emergencies often happen without warning and that preparation is critical. Having the sense of security and peace of mind that follows the community engagement offered by Codington County's First Responders is invaluable…

You can follow Edgewood on social media to keep up with other activities…

Check out more about Watertown Fire Rescue: https://www.facebook.com/watertownfirerescue

Check out more about Edgewood:

https://www.facebook.com/watertownseniorliving

Explore the attached documents for various safety and preparedness guides from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

You can read below an inside look at the disaster situations that were faced:

Cedarview 225 14th Ave NE: Tornado Drill

A disaster drill will occur with a tornado watch at 8:35 am, followed by a tornado warning at 8:50 am, and the tornado 'hitting' at 9:00 am. Memory care residents will be evacuated to a bus for transportation to the main MC building. No casualties are expected. Staff involved include Sarah RN, Caitlin LPN, Gary (maintenance), Jodi (Wellness Life Enrichment), 2 Certified Medication Aides, and a dining cook. Tracy at MC will coordinate family notifications and prepare for resident arrivals.

901 14th Ave NE: Tornado Drill

At 8:35 am, staff will initiate the drill with a tornado watch, followed by a warning at 8:50 am and the tornado 'hitting' at 9:00 am. Damage is expected to the northwest part of the building. Staff, including Jackie, Kathy, Ken, Carrie, Sierra, Kerri, and Jordan, will aid in evacuating residents to designated safe areas. No casualties are anticipated if all residents comply.

Below is a brief summary of the drill:

Starting at 0835, staff at Memory Care, Cedarview, Independent Living, and Assisted Living will initiate evacuation procedures, ensuring the safety of residents and securing vital medical equipment.

Each unit will follow specific protocols, from taking pictures of the evacuation process to documenting the response for an after-action report.

Key steps include:

• Memory Care: Evacuate residents and staff, secure med carts, and prepare to house Cedarview residents.
• Cedarview: Move residents to Memory Care post-tornado, ensuring communication and secure transportation.
• Independent Living: Evacuate residents to safe areas, with plans for residents to return to their rooms after the tornado.
• Assisted Living: Initiate evacuation, assist with medical equipment, and ensure documentation of all actions.

Embrace Dentistry Good News linked